Iterative Testing

What is Iterative Testing

Iterative testing is a valuable tool for SaaS and tech-based companies because it allows for small, easy-to-manage changes rather than large sweeping ones. 

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Even better, the iterative testing methodology means that changes are based on data-driven decisions gleaned from previous tests, making updates easier to justify.

Benefits of iterative testing

Here are a few benefits of iterative testing:

1. Spot and solve problems early

Iterative testing enables product teams to pinpoint minor issues and fix them early before they have a knock-on effect that disrupts the rest of the development cycle. 

2. Functional prototypes early in the development cycle

Conducting thorough testing throughout the development cycle allows you to create functional prototypes early. You can see what works and have something tangible to show stakeholders sooner rather than later. 

3. Easily measure progress

With iterative testing, your product team can create clear goals for each iteration, measure the results, and track progress easily. 

3. Gather insights on usability issues

Usability issues can negatively impact the user’s experience. Gathering insights on usability lets you deliver a stronger, more satisfying product. 

4. Easily introduce incremental changes

Iterative testing eliminates the need to make major adjustments to a product further down the line, which could cause delays and harm customer perceptions of your company.

5. You're better able to build products that meet users' needs

Through iterative testing, you will gain a deeper understanding of what your users are looking for and what they need, even if they’re unaware of it. 

Steps of iterative testing

Let’s explore the four main steps of iterative testing

1. Set your goal

You must set a clear goal for each product iteration before you start. Otherwise, you could miss crucial insights. 

2. Collect user feedback across different user segments

Gathering user feedback is paramount for effective iterative testing, but you need to ask the right segments the right questions. Consider why each segment uses the product and which features they rely on most. 

Collecting user feedback from different segments will give you more accurate, relevant insights to help you identify improvement opportunities. 

3. Analyze results and then decide what needs to change 

Analyze testing results to learn what issues affect users and how and why. Next, prioritize changes that will make the biggest impact on user experience.

4. Test, collect feedback again, and analyze again 

After you make changes to the product based on feedback, test their performance again to determine if you’ve done what you set out to. 

Best practices for iterative testing

Here are some best practices to consider when undertaking iterative testing:

• Define your objectives for each testing phase

Make the most of the testing time available — understand why you’re doing it and why that matters.

• Track all issues

Identify issues and track your progress toward resolving them.

• Keep your product vision and product strategy in mind

Remember why you started work on this product from start to finish. 

• Stick to small, manageable changes

Work on one little thing at a time to maintain a clear focus.

• Document all your iterations and the reasons behind changes

Recording the different iterations of a product and why you made changes is crucial to chart its evolution. This helps you pinpoint where issues have arisen and been fixed.